Take Your Child to Work Day has been a staple event in primary schools going on decades. The School of Nursing and Health Studies has taken the event to another level by offering employees’ children the chance to take part in activity stations at S.H.A.R.E. to give them a glimpse of how the 41,000-square-foot simulation hospital works and how their parents help it operate.
On April 24th, 2025, 21 children of SONHS employees were welcomed into S.H.A.R.E.by Manny, a pediatric simulation mannikin, for a fun-filled day of learning basic nursing skills. Structured similarly to the hit event ‘Day in the Life of a Nursing Student’ S.H.A.R.E.® has hosted in the past, these activity stations make use of the simulation hospital’s state-of-the-art equipment to teach age-appropriate basic nursing skills.
After their introduction to Manny, the youngsters rotated through the activity stations, practicing CPR and choking aid on another simulation mannikin, Choking Charlie; listening to various normal and abnormal chest sounds with mid-fidelity mannikins; learning how to properly wash their hands with the glow germ kit; and watching simulation technologist Camila Venegas demonstrate basic moulage techniques. The children were especially in awe of the infant mannikin they were shown, and many said that was the favorite part of their day.
Their most exciting interaction with a simulation mannikin came with “Steve” whom the children asked basic intake questions, getting his medical history and trying to figure out why he was in the hospital that day. Soon after they began talking with Steve, he began having seizures. The students stayed with Steve until he became stable, and after he had stabilized, the children reassured him and assessed his mental faculties before taking him to one of S.H.A.R.E.’s patient care rooms. These skills were taught to give the children a glimpse into what their parents do every day as health professionals, and to give them knowledge they could use one day to save a life.
Dr. Yhovana Gordon, Associate Professor of Clinical, felt the day was extremely meaningful for her and her daughter. “Her energy was unmistakable, and it was clear the experience made a lasting impression.” LaToya Lewis, Associate Professor of Clinical, felt the same, noting how her two children became more interested in exploring the field of health care after spending the day at S.H.A.R.E.
Take Your Child to Work Day is the latest in a long line of activities that SONHS/S.H.A.R.E. has put on to engage with its community. Family is the strongest tenent of community we have, the bond between parent and child strengthened by this sharing of knowledge. Following SONHS’s pillar “Education for Life”, the faculty and staff of SONHS aimed to inspire a love of healthcare into their children.
As a parting gift, the children received their very own stethoscopes, a reminder of their exciting, unconventional Take Your Child to Work Day experience at S.H.A.R.E. One day, some of them may return to the school as students, following in their parents’ footsteps. “As a parent, it’s a powerful moment to witness your child connect with your passion,” said Dr. Gordon. “As a nurse, it’s deeply rewarding to know the work we do can ignite curiosity and admiration in the next generation. It’s a reminder that our influence extends beyond the bedside or classroom. It shapes futures.”
